How To Spot Fraudulent IDs In A Digital Environment in 2022

01 Feb 2022

The digital space makes everything a whole lot easier. But it is not without its drawbacks. In a physical environment, you can use your sense of touch and point out minor faults to spot a fraudulent ID; however, the same is not possible in a digital environment.

But it’s not impossible either. With a few strategic moves, anyone can learn to master the art of spotting online fraud. Here are five ways in which you can spot fraudulent IDs in a digital environment:

• One at a time

Looking at the ID as a whole and trying to find errors can be overwhelming. Instead, you should focus on one area at a time. Spot areas that are frequently manipulated, such as the name, photo, date of birth, expiry date and doc number. Signs of manipulation could be using a different font, smudging, irregular spacing and improper placement. Be on the lookout for these signs, and you will be able to catch a digital fraud red-handed and do fraud prevention.

• Compare

Just looking at a document on its own makes fraud detection very hard. Going in blind, you might be unsure whether you’re just imagining faults that aren’t there. Instead, consider comparing it with a certified real ID to look for similarities and differences alike. Things you might have thought were normal might look fishy once you start playing what is essentially Spot The Difference.

• Examine the photo

Take a look at the photo on the identity document. Ensure that the photos are either the correct colour or black and white. It is very easy to get such an essential detail wrong. Sometimes the fraudsters are so keen on getting all the small details correct that they are bound to forget to ensure that the photo is proper. Also, the primary and secondary pictures need to match. If they don’t, we might have an online fraud on our hands.

• Scan the MRZ code

The MRZ code towards the bottom of the card holds all the information pertaining to the card in a compact manner. So, you can check whether the data above matches the MRZ code below. You can check for things like the date of expiry, nationality, name, document number, etc. There is no way the MRZ code will leave out any of these; if it does, the ID is for sure a fraud.

• Examine the fonts

Different documents use different fonts. Try comparing it to the reference material to see if they match. Oftentimes fraudulent IDs are made by switching out a few details from a real ID. The added information may be typed in a completely different font than the rest of the ID. Do not gloss over such an important detail. Remember that every piece of the puzzle adds up to the big picture.

People can follow these steps and form their own conclusions, but nothing beats a trained eye. For fraud prevention, Accura Scan is your go-to site for accurate and reliable results. Authenticate digital IDs from the best! Get your results ASAP. For any queries, call us on +91 820-898-8751 or visit our website.